Answering and recording telephone.



No. 745,342. I PATENTED DEC. 1, 1903.

T. D. & G. J. FREESE.

ANSWERING AND RECORDING TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/TNESSES' INVENTUHS ATTORNEYSJ TH: Noam: PETERS coy. PNOTD-LITHD"wAsmNm'om I:v c.

No. 745,342. I PATENTED DEGQI, 1,903..

I T. D. & G. J. FREBSB.

ANSWERING AND REGORDING TELEPHONE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1902.

R0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES. I lNVE/VTOHST i ZeMZm-eZZ Fhw'e CarZ fjreame Muzak YHE NORRISPEYERS co, PNOYD-LITHO, WASHINGTON, a. c.

N0. 745,s42.- PATBNTED" DEC. 1, 1903. T. 1). & 0. J. FRBESE. ANSWERINGAND RECORDING TELEPHONE.

APPLIQATION FILED NOV. 22, 1902.

no MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IN VENTORS UNITED STATES iatcnted Ibecember 1, 1903:

PATENT ()FFICE.

THEODORE D. FREESE AND CARL J. FREESE, OF ELYRIA, oHIo.

ANSWERING AND RECORDING TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,342, dated December1, 1903. Application filed November 22, 1902. Serial No. 132,406. (Nomodel.)

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEODORE D. FREESE and CARL J. FREESE, bothcitizens of the United States, and residents of Elyria, in the county ofLorain and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and Improved Answering andRecording Telephone, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention relates to telephony, our

more particular object being to provide automatic mechanism foranswering calls in the absence of the operative in charge of the stationand for automatically recording messages received from the line.

We will describe an answering and recording telephone embodying ourinvention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing our device complete. Fig. 2 is afragmentary elevation of the means for replacing the reproducer afterthe answering device has been used, the figure being an enlarged view,as from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section of the transmitter andthe reproducer-tube connected thereto. Fig. 4 is a side elevation,partly in section, showing the principal portions of therecordingdevice. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the reproducingmechanism taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a side elevation ofthe mechanism for producing records employed by the answering device,and Fig. 7is a side elevation showing the mechanism for reproducing therecord by the recording device.

V The prominent parts of our device are as follows: first, a commutatorA, controllable by the line, for throwing the apparatus into and out ofaction; second, magnetic mechanism B for actuating the commutatormechanism and for changing certain of the circuits; third, a transmitterO and connections forimpressing communications upon the line; fourth, aphonograph D, normally provided with a reproducer; fifth, a trumpet 'E'for conveying sound from the reproducer to the transmitter; sixth, aphonograph F,

normally provided with a recording attachment; seventh, an electricmotor G for actuating the phonograph D; eighth, an electric motor H foractuating the phonograph F ninth, an electromagnetic device K, providedwith suitable contacts for automatically shifting the current from themotor G to the motor H, and, tenth, batteries L for energizing themotors G and H successively.

A board lis provided with a shelf 2 for supporting the battery-jars 3,4, and 5. Upon the upper portion of this board is a switch 6,

connected with the main-line wires 7 8 and provided with stationarycontacts 9 10. These contacts are by wires 11 12 connected with atelephone 13, which is mounted on aboard 14 and provided with analarm-bell 15, a receiver 16, and divers other parts inthe usual manner.

A contact 17 is connected by a wire 18 with a magnet 19, this magnetbeing connected by 28 a distance represented by one tooth, this 7movement of the commutator being just sufficient to shift the same intoand out of circuit. A second movement of. the armature 24causes thecommutator to move a distance represented by a second tooth, therebyvirtually restoring the commutator to its original position in so far asits connection with the telephone-line is concerned.

A contact member 31 is mounted upon the armature 24 and is free toengage other contact members 32 32 as the armature is attracted orreleased by the magnet 19. A wire 33 connects the contact member 32 withthe contact 34 of the switch, and a wire 35 connects the contact member32 with the re- IOO repeated automatically upon the line.

upon the diaphragm 36 is a light bracket 36, which engages a tongue 36provided with a jeweled point 36 The receiver 36 is connected by a wire37 with the transmitter 38, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 1.

In connection with the phonograph D a trumpeter tube 39 is provided andis mounted somewhat loosely upon a bearing 40 and is provided with abracket 41, having armatu res 42 and 43 mounted thereupon. These partsdepend from a shelf 44, asindicated more particularly in Fig. 2. Thelower end of the trumpet 39 is provided with a diaphragm 45, upon whichis mounted a plate 46, provided with a boss 47, this boss having abearing 48, from which depends a lever 49, provided with ajeweled point50. Mounted u pen the tru mpet is a threaded bearing 39, (see Fig. 5,)engaging a threaded shaft 39 (See Fig. 1.) This shaft is driven by apulley c and belt 39. The lever 49 is journaled at 51, so as to have acomparatively free movement. (See Fig. 5.) The jeweled point 50 normallyengages the revoluble record-cylinder 52 in the manner well known inphonography. The arrangement is such that when the phonograph justdescribed is in action the sounds produced are carried upward by thetrumpet E and actuate the transmitter 0, thereby virtually causing thephonograph to talk upon the main line.

The recording-phonograph F is in some respects similar to the one justdescribed. Its otfice, however, is to receive messages from the line andto record them upon the recordcylinder 63. The phonographs D and F arefor the most part similar to the ordinary phonograph when used as atalking and recordingapparatus, respectively. It is therefore deemedunnecessary to describe specifically the several parts of thesephonographs except in as far as we have made alterations in the same.

Upon a frame 53 53 are mounted a number of horizontal guide-rods 54; andthe usual threaded shaft 55, carrying a slidable head 56, this headbeing provided with a lever 57, journaled upon the guide-rod 58 andhaving a finger 59, engaged by a thumb-lever 60. By pulling down thethumb-lever the finger 59 is raised, thereby causing the lever 57 tobind upon a bracket 61, and thus depress the movable stem 62, so as toraise the point 36 of the tongue 36 out of engagement with the cylinder63 of the phonograph F.

In Fig. 6 is shown the means for charging the record-cylinder 52 withmessages to be Upon a diaphragm mounted within a boss 63 is a boss 64,connected with a lever 65, provided with ajeweled point 66, theselast-mentioned parts being in many respects similar to the analogousparts already described. Upon the neck 67 of the boss 63 is mounted aspeaking-tube 68, provided with a mouthpiece 69. When speech is utteredinto the mouthpiece 69,the record-cylinder 52 beingin action, words arerecorded in substantially the same manner as in ordinary phonograph),the record thus produced containing predetermined messages to be givenout upon the main line in answer to calls made from a distance.

In Fig. 7 is shown adevice somewhat similar to thatjust described, butused for a different pnrpose-to wit, to reproduce the messagesautomatically recorded upon the record-cylinder 63. The diaphragm-box isshown at 79, the movable stem at 62, the boss at 73, the lever at 74,the jeweled point at 75, the tube at '71, and the cal-pieces at 72.

The reproducer 45 is temporarily removed from the phonograph D and theapparatus shown in Fig. 6 substituted therefor when it is desired tocharge the phonograph D with messages. Similarly the apparatus shown inthe upper portion of Fig. 7 is substituted for the receiver 36 when itis desired to listen to communications which have been automaticallyrecorded from the line.

' An electric motor 76 is connected with the phonograph D by means of abelt 77 and is provided with binding-posts 78 79. The binding'post 78 isconnected with a contact 82, this contact normally engaging the armature80 of the magnet 81. From the armature 80 a wire 88 leads to acontact-spring 87, which engages the commutator A. Another wire 83 isconnectedwith the binding-screw 79 and with the jar 3 of the battery. Awire 85 is connected with the battery-jar 5 and with a spring-contact86, which also engages the commutator A. The magnet 81 is connected withthe battery-jar 5 by a wire 84. From the magnet 81 a wire 89 leads tothe lower one of two contacts 90. The upper one of these contacts 90 isby means of a wire 91 connected with a switch 92, this switch beingconnected, by means of a wire 93, with another electric motor 94,provided with bindingposts 95 96. From the lower post 96 a wire 97 leadsto the battery-jar 3, as indicated in'Fig. 1.

A belt 98 connects the motor H with the phonograph F. A contact 99 ismounted upon the trumpet 39 (see Fig. 1) for the purpose of engaging thecontact members 90. The movable parts of the phonograph D are mountedupon a bracket-frame 100.

The general operation of our device is as follows: When the operative ispresent, the switch 6 is moved over to the right, thereby throwing theordinary telephone 13 into circuit. If, however, the operative desiresto leave his oifice or place of business, he moves the switch 6 to theleft, as indicated in Fig. l, and leaves such a record upon the cylinder52 as will indicate his absence and give instructions to the subscribercalling him as to What course to pursue. For instance, he

could charge the phonograph with a message such as this: Am going acrossthe river; will not be back until four oclock or Am temporarilyontof thecity; call No. 10. The operative before leaving the office may alsoplace a sensitive record upon the cylinder 63 for the purpose ofreceiving any communication which may be intended for him. In this eventhe so charges the phonograph D that the same will give full instructionsto the calling subscriber. If the operative in leaving his office merelydesires the reproducer D to operate, he opens the switch 92, thuspreventing the con tact members 99 90 from clos ing the circuit throughthe motor H. Suppose now that the phonograph D is charged with a messageto be transmitted upon the lineand that the phonograph F is charged witha sensitive blank. The switch being in the position indicated in Fig. 1we will say that the call or signal for this office is flashed over theline in the usual manner. The signaling-current pursues the followingcircuit: wire 7, contact 34, wire 33, wire 35, receiver 36, wire 37,transmitter 38, wire 37, contact members 32 and 31, armature 24, wire23, magnets 22 and 21, wire 20, magnet 19, wire 18,

I contact17, and line-wire 8. Thisenergizestho member 32.

magnet 19, causing the contact member 31 to disengage the contact member32 and at practically the same instant to engage the contact Thearmature is retracted by the spring 24. This movement of the armature 24in consequence of the pull of the magnet 19 causes the pawl 27 to movethe commutator, as above described, into the position indicated in Fig.1, thereby enabling the contacts 86 87 to engage the metallic portion 29of the commutator. While the armature 24 is thus raised, the currentpursues the following course: line-wire 7, contact 34, wire 33, contactmembers 32 and 31, armature 24, wire 23, magnets 22 and 21, wire 20,magnet 19, Wire 18, contact 17, and line-wire 8. A

circuit is therefore completed through the magnet 19 whether thearmature 24 be in its uppermost or lowermost position. The signaling-current having ceased, the armature drops downward, so that the contactmember 31 again engages the contact member 32, completing the circuitfirst described, this circuit being through both the receiver 36 of thephonograph F and the transmitter O. The movementof the commutatorincidental to the raising and lowering of the armature 24 establishesthe following circuit: batteryjar 5, wire 85, brush 86, commutatormember 29, brush 87, wire 88, armature 80, contact 82,binding-post 78,motor 76, binding-post 79, and wire 83 to battery-jar 3, thus completingthe circuit through the motor G. The motor being thus energized drivesthe phonograph D and causes the reproducer 45 to deliver its messageautomatically through the trumpet 39 and funnel 38 into the transmitter38. The distant operative thereupon hears the message which has beencharged into the phonograph D and learns therefrom what course topursue. If, for instance, he is to give a verbal message in return, hewaits until the phonograph D has finished its work and then delivers hismessage as if talking to an individual. The phonograph D will continueto run until the contact member 99 engages the contact members 90,thereby completingthe following shunt-circuit: battery-jar 5, wire '84,magnet 81, wire 89, contacts 90 99, wire 91, switch 92, wire 93,binding-posts 95 95 of motor H, and wire 97 to battery-jar 3. Thisshunt-circuit energizes the magnet 81,causing it to draw the armature80, and thus break the contact between this armature and the member 82,thereby stopping the motor Gand throwing all of the current into themotor H through the circuit just traced. The motor H being thusenergized actuates the phonographic recorder F, causing the record-disk63 to register the message from the distant operative. The absentoperative for the office we are describing now returns, removes thereceiver 36, places the apparatus shown in the upper portion of Fig. 6instead thereof, and listens to the message which has come during hisabsence.

As will be seen in Fig. 2, the magnet 22 is placed a little to one sideof and somewhat in front of the magnet 21.

It will be understood that when the magnets 21 22 are energized by thesignaling-current, as above described, the trumpet 39 is drawn to theright from the view-point in Fig. 1. by means of the magnet 21 and atthe same time is moved laterally so that the re-' producer 45 clears thesurface of the cylinder 52, this latter movement being effected by meansof simultaneous action of the smaller magnet 22. For the sake ofclearness it may be well to look at Fig. 2 and imagine this view to bepresented by a person standing at the rightof Fig. 1. The signal fromthe distant operative, therefore, has the effect of placing thereproducer 45 at the right of the cylinder 52, so as to start thephonograph D at the beginning of its message.

The different operatives or subscribers, knowing the nature of theapparatus above described, will so transmit their messages that i thesame will be recorded at the proper instantto wit, while the cylinder 63is in motion. To do this, it is desirable for the operative at adistance to wait until thephonograph D has finished its message and theshifting mechanism K has thrown the motor Gr out of circuit and themotor H into circuit.

We do not limit ourselves to the several particular types of parts shownand described;

neither do we limit ourselves to the apparatus as used in connectionwith an ordinary telephone. Obviously the telephone shown in Fig. 1 maybe disconnected, and our invention may be used by itself.

1. An answering and recording telephone, 2

including a telephone-line, a telephone-transmitter connected therewith,a phonographic reproducer connected with said transmitt r for utteringspeech thereinto, and mechanism connected with said line andcontrollable thereby for throwing said transmitter and said phonographicreproducer into action relatively to said line, and means controlled bythe reproducer for throwing the same out of action.

2. An answering and recording telephone, including a telephone-line,mechanism for antomatically transmitting speech upon the same, a motorfor actuating said mechanism, mechanism connected with saidtelephoneline for starting said motor, and means for stopping the motorand controlled by the automatic transmitting mechanism.

3. An answering and recording telephone, including a telephone-line,mechanism for antomatically impressing communications upon the same, amotor for actuating said mechanism, a source of electricity forenergizing said motor, electric connections controllable by said linefor starting said motor, and means controlled by said mechanism forstopping the motor.

4. An answering and recording telephone, comprisinga telephone-line, ananswering devicefor automatically impressing communications upon thesame, an automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsfrom said line, independent motors for actuating said answering deviceand said recording mechanism,and means for automatically stopping one ofsaid motors and starting the other.

5. An answering and recording telephone comprising a telephone-line, ananswering device for automatically impressing communications upon theline, an automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsfrom said line, an electric motor for actuating thesaid recordingmechanism, opencircuit wiring connected with said motor and providedwith a contact member, and a contact member connected with the saidanswering device and controllable thereby for closing said open circuit.

6. An answering and recording telephone comprising a telephone-line, atransmitter connected therewith, a phonograph -reproducer connected withsaid transmitter, means for actuating said reproducer, arecordingphonograph for registering communications from said line, anelectric motor for actuating said recording-phonograph, open-circuitwiring connected with said motor and provided with a contact member, anda contact member connected with said reproducer, for closing said opencircuit.

7. An answering and recording telephone, comprising a telephone-line, ananswering device for automatically impressing communications upon thesame, automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsreceived from said line, automatic motors for actuating said answeringdevice and said recording mechanism, respectively, means for energizingsaid motors, and an automatic shifting device for opening the circuit ofone of said motors and closing that of the other.

8. An answering and recording telephone, comprisinga telephone-line, ananswering device for automatically impressing communications upon thesame, automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsreceived from said line, electric motors for actuating said answeringdevice and said recording mechanism respectively, means for energizingsaid motors, an automatic shifting device for opening the circuit of oneof said motors and closing that of the other, and means controllable bysaid line for actuating said shifting device.

9. An answering and recording telephone,

comprising a telephone-line, a transmitter connected therewith, aphonograph-reproducer connected with said transmitter, arecording-phonograph for registering comm unications received from saidline, electric mo tors for actuating said phonograph-reproducer and saidrecording-phonograph respectively, and automatic mechanism for openingthe circuit, of one of said motors and clos ing that of the other as setforth.

10. An answering and recording telephone includinga telephone-line, arecording-phonograph for registering communications received from saidline, the said recordingphonograph comprising a record-cylinder, atelephone-receiver having a magnet and a diaphragm, a sleeve below thediaphragm and provided with a second diaphragm, a

bracket mounted upon the latter diaphragm,

a tongue engaged by said bracket and formed with a point for recordingon the record-cylinder, means for raising the point of the tongue out ofengagement with the recordcylinder, and mechanism connected with saidline and controlled therefrom for actuating said recording-phonograph.

11. An answering and recording telephone, comprising a telephone-line,an answering device for automatically impressing communications upon thesame, an automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsfrom said line, electric motors for actuating said answering device andsaid recording mechanism respectively, open circuit wiring connectedwith said motors, an electromagnet having its armature in the circuit ofthe motor of the answering device and its coil in the circuit of themotor for the recording mechanism, means controlled by thetelephone-line for closing the circuit through the wiring for the motorof the answering device and a contact member connected with andcontrollable by the answering device for closing the circuit of themotor for the recording mechanism, the closure of the latter circuitmoving the said armature to open the circuit of the motor for theanswering device.

.12. An answering and recording telephone, including a telephone-line, atransmitter connected therewith, a phonograph-reproducer connected withsaid transmitter, said reproducer being provided with a revoluble memberand with a stylus movable relatively thereto, electromagnets connectedwith the line, the armature of said magnets being connected with thestylus and adapted when attracted to place said stylus in apredetermined position relatively to said revoluble member to start thereproducer at the beginning of the message, and means, controllable bysaid line, for actuating said reproducer.

13. An answering and recording telephone including a telephone-line, atelephone-transmitter connected therewith, a phonographic reproducerconnected with said transmitter,

said reproducer being provided with a revoluble member and with a stylusmovable relatively thereto, a trumpet carrying said stylus and connectedwith the transmitter, armatures carried by said trumpet, andelectromagnets controlled by said line and arranged to attract saidarmatures to place said stylus in a predetermined position relatively tosaid revoluble member, and means controllable by-said line for actuatingsaid reproducer.

14. An answering. and recording telephone, comprising a telephone-line,a transmitter connected therewith, a phonographic reproducer connectedwith said transmitter, said reproducer being provided with a revolublemember and with a stylus movable relatively thereto, magnetic mechanism,controllable by said line, for placing said stylus in a predeterminedposition relatively to said revoluble member, means for actuating saidreproducer, a recording-phonograph for registering communication fromsaid line, an electric motor gizing said motor.

15. An answering and recording telephone, comprising a telephone line,phonographic anism for actuating said phonographic mech anism, amagnet-controlled commutator connected with said line for connecting thesame with said phonographic mechanism and for disconnecting the sametherefrom, a motor for driving the phonographic mechanism and broughtinto action by the movement of the commntator,and means controlled bythe phonographic' mechanism for stopping the motor.

16. An answering and recording telephone including a telephone line,phonographic mechanism comprising a record-cylinder and atelephone-receiver provided with means for recording on saidrecord-cylinder, an electric motor for actuating the record -cylinder, anormally open electric circuit for said motor, a commutator, mechanismcontrolled by the commutator for closing the circuit through the motor,an electromagnet connected with the line, a connection between thearmature of the magnet and the commutator to move the same, and acontact member on said armature for completing the circuit through thetelephone-receiver.

17 An answering and recording telephone, comprising a telephone-line, ananswering device for automatically impressing communications upon saidline, an automatic recording mechanism for registering communicationsreceived from the line, electric motors for actuating said answeringdevice and said recording mechanism respectively, an electromagnetconnected with the telephon e-line, a commutator controlled by saidmagnet for closing the circuit through the motor of the answeringdevice, and means controlled by the answering device for closing thecircuit through the motor for the recording mechanism.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE D. FREESE. CARL J. FREESE.

Witnesses:

A. E. LAURENCE, DANIEL F. FREESE.

